Christopher McGuire
American guitarist Christopher McGuire commands the many expressive qualities of the guitar with what one critic called “unselfconscious intensity.” His engaging performance style invites people of all ages to feel they are taking part, not just taking a seat. Audiences and critics on five continents fulfill the prediction byAndrés Segovia that “…he will be appreciated and applauded everywhere.” In his 1981 letter of recommendation, Segovia also said he is “…an artist, sensitive, with perfect technique.” His direct influences are as varied as they come, ranging from private lessons with Maestro Segovia to jam sessions with Stevie Ray Vaughn.* Has preformed with some of the great musicians of our time, including Charlie Byrd, Carlos Barbosa-Lima, Bucky Pizzarelli, Howard Alden, Roland Dyens, Carlos Bonell, Karin Schaupp, Robert Guthrie, Van Cliburn Gold Medalist José Feghali and violinist Swang Lin. In October of 2005 Chris shared the stage with the legendary Van Cliburn in a tribute concert for Fort Worth philanthropist Roz Rosenthal. He is currently Artistic Director of the Fort Worth Classic Guitar Society (FWCGS) and the Allegro Guitar Society of Dallas (AGSD).
McGuire has performed hundreds of solo concerts in the United States, Mexico, Japan, Venezuela, Germany, Spain and the Canary Islands. He has played his guitar for presidents of the United States of America and Mexico, three former governors of Texas and members of the Spanish Royal Family. A great lover of chamber music, he has been a guest artist with orchestras and chamber ensembles and also composes for his eclectic music group, D’Accord. In 2007 he was featured on stage at the Bass Performance Hall performing his own music as well as solo works by Weiss, Villa-Lobos and Tarrega in the world premiere of “Fables of Loneliness” with the Bruce Wood Dance Company. He has performed more than 1500 informal performances in schools and other community venues in cities throughout North America, Spain, Venezuela and Japan. In addition to numerous television and radio appearances he was the subject of a half-hour program on Radio Shanghai of China with an audience in thirteen Asian countries of more than one billion listeners. NBC’s “Today Show” featured Chris in a story about his work with civil rights groups in his hometown, Farmers Branch, Texas.
In 1985 he won First Prize in the Dallas Chamber Orchestra Concerto Competition and has judged theGuitar Foundation of America (GFA) International Competitions in Quebec City, Canada, St. Louis, Missouri, San Antonio, Texas and Montréal, Canada. In 2006 he served on the jury of the 14th International Guitar Competition at Fundacíon Alirio Díaz in Carora, Venezuela, where he also performed a lecture/concert on classical & jazz crossover at the home of Maestro Díaz. Four years earlier he presented a similar class at Encuentro Antonio Lauro in Santa Ana, Venezuela. He has been invited to present numerous masterclasses and lecture demonstrations at prestigious universities such as Arizona State University, theJuilliard School in New York, Alaska Pacific University and at the GFA.
He has studied with or performed in master classes for several of the world’s foremost guitarists includingAndrés Segovia, Oscar Ghiglia, Pepe Romero, Robert Guthrie and José Tomás. He received full scholarships to Southern Methodist University on the recommendation of Robert Guthrie and to the Aspen Music Festivalon the recommendation of Oscar Ghiglia. In the summers of 1980-82 he had both classes and private lessons with the great Spanish composer Federico Moreno-Torroba. Blues master Stevie Ray Vaughn, a regular in the McGuire family music room in the early 1970s, taught Chris to play the blues in weekly jam sessions.
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